Velma Butler proudly sported a red, white and blue top hat Monday, while representing her union, the American Federation of Teachers College Staff Local 1521A.

As she posted signs on a trolley car filled with the children of union members — which mentioned the 40-hour work week, overtime and other labor victories — Butler said Monday it is important for younger generations to understand union efforts to protect worker rights.

“Labor Day for us is a day to bring people together and let them know what labor has done,” said Butler, whose union represents support staff in the Los Angeles Community College District. “It’s a day to bring our children out and let them know what labor has done for us. We need to keep reminding the people what labor did for us. All this didn’t just come about on its own.”

Thousands of union members joined with Butler, as well as their friends and families Monday, at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor Labor Coalition’s 37th annual Labor Day March in Wilmington. The goal was to remind others of what their unions have accomplished, and still hope to achieve – even as most of America took a day off work.

The coalition’s annual march got rolling at Broad Avenue and E Street, and moved up Avalon Boulevard to M Street before finishing at Banning Park, where a solidarity rally featured music and plenty of food.

This year’s parade theme was “One Goal Many Voices.”

Among those voices was Barry Christopher of Local 409 of the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, which represents more than 44,000 union carpenters in six states. Christopher is also part of his union’s African American Task Force, which seeks to bring more young black workers into the trades, and provide them training and mentorship.

“We just don’t keep things for ourselves,” Christopher said. “We pass the torch. This is something where you can get training and make a living for yourself.”

The march featured political sloganeering, ranging from universal healthcare demands and support for Democratic Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, to calls for pay raises. Some even the passed out Communist newspapers.

“For generations, every time the economy changed, hardworking Americans marched and organized and joined unions to demand not simply a bigger paycheck for themselves, but better conditions and more security for the folks working next to them, too,” Obama said. “Their efforts are why we can enjoy things like the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, and a minimum wage. Their efforts are why we can depend on health insurance, Social Security, Medicare, and retirement plans. All of that progress is stamped with the union label.”